Trace-fastening



(No Model.)

W. MORSE. TRACE-FASTENING.

No. 429,696. Patented June 10, 1890.

5' H1 nypu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM R. MORSE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRACE-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,696, dated June 10, 1890.

Application filed September 18, 1889. Serial No. 324,356. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. MORSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Fastenings for Singletrees, which is fully set forth and described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of one end of a singletree and tug containing my invent-ion. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal axial section through the end portion of a singletree having my improved fastening thereon. Fig. 3 is a sectional front elevation of the same, except that the device is fastened to the singletree in a different manner, the section being made axially through the engaged portions of the singletree and fastening. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of one end of a singletree having my fastening device, and a tug end being hooked thereto, the section being made horizontally, as at the line 4 4 on Fig. 2.

A is the trace, having the usual eye A.

B is the singletree, to the end of which the clip 0, containing my invention, is fastened, either, as in Fig. 1, by being formed with the thimble O, in which the end of the singletree is inserted, or, as in Fig. 3, by being formed with the lag-bolt termination 0 which is screwed into the end of the singletree,-the.

ferrule O being in that case employed to stay the end of the singletree and prevent it from splitting.

The neck 0 of the clip C is adapted to receive the trace-eye A, as seen in Fig. 1. At the end of this neck the pillar C is erected and terminates the clip. This pillar is bored out from the lower end to form the socket 0 into which there is inserted, first, the spring D, and next, below said spring, the plunger E, which may also be provided in its upper end with the socket E, adapted to receive the lower end of the spring D, thus permitting the use of a longer and, for that reason, more durable spring than could otherwise be accommodated. A slot 0 is made in the side of the pillar C and a pin 0 is set through such slot into the plunger E, to act as a stop to retain the plunger in the socket 0 The plunger is adapted to be pushed up into the socket its entire length, leaving, when thus pushed up, substantially no protruding portion, and the eye A can then be passed down onto the pillar and around the angle at the junction of the pillar and the neck C and lodged on the neck, the plunger being then released, being forced down again and protruding, as seen in the several figures, and preventing the accidental escape of the eye from the proper position on the neck C The pillar (L is preferably made oval in horizontal section, or at least oblong, having the longer dimension transverse to the length of the singletree. The purpose of thus forming it is that when the trace hangs slack, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 1, the length of the eye A might permit it to pass off in spite of the plunger E, if nothing else restrained it; but the pillar, being oblong in the same direction as the eye, may be, as seen in Fig. 4B, of such dimensions as to permit the eye to pass over it only when the corresponding dimensions of the eye and pillar are coincident; but when the trace is hanging slack, as described, the longer of the transverse dimensions of the pillar will stand parallel with the shorter dimension of the eye, and the pillar itself, without regard to the presence of the plunger, will prevent the escape of the eye.

I claim- In a trace-fastener for singletrees, the combination of a singletree with a projecting neck 0 and downwardly-opening pillar. with a plunger and spring therein, and a fingerpiece passing from such plunger through the slot, so that the plunger may be forced to admit of the bringing of the post into the neck 0 and will then automatically retreat, the cavity in the post being all the time downwardly turned to avoid the introduction of water and the like.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 6th day of September, A. D. 1889.

\VILLIAM R. MORSE.

Witnesses:

CELESTE P. CHAPMAN, H. B. I-IALLooK. 

